Knowing and Acknowledging Women Rap Artists

While women rap artists are definitely not as popular as men in hip hop music, there have been still plenty to choose from when assembling the 10 best female rap performers of all time. The ladies on this list have overcome significant hurdles to sparkle in the male-dominated scenery of rap music. If you are looking for something new to pop on your MP3 player, check out any of the women on the list of the very best female rap artists.

Queen Latifah – Few female rap musicians have loved the level of mainstream success that Queen Latifah has. Besides several highly acclaimed albums such as her debut “All Hail the Queen,” she has had achievements as an occasional actress and a representative for the cosmetics company Cover Girl.

Lady Sovereign – This cute British artist combines hip-hop with electronica for her unusual sound. Her self-deprecating wit in such songs as “Love Me or Hate Me” is refreshing and sets her apart in a music genre usually described as excessive bravado.

Lauryn Hill – One of the most talented female rap performers, Lauryn Hill is also one of the most elusive. To this day, she has not released a full length follow-up to her highly acclaimed debut album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Missy Elliot – This female artist started out with guests performances on other rap artist’s albums. When she finally launched her own, it was a huge critical and commercial success. She has launched half dozen platinum albums, including the double-platinum “Under Construction,” making her one of the most successful female hip hop artists of all time.

Eve – VH-1 recognized this outspoken and talented rap artist, ranking her number 46 on their list of the 50 Finest Women in Video. Her debut album “Let There Be Eve… Ruff Ryder’s First Lady” was the first album by a female artist to debut in the Billboard Top 200.

Monie Love – This female artist was one of the first British hip hop musicians to get played in the United States. She first got publicity as a protege of Queen Latifah and a guest artist on the song “Ladies First.”

Yo-Yo – Her music, such as songs like “You Can’t Play with my Yo-Yo” is a refreshing change from the constant sexism of mainstream rap. While she has not had as much commercial success as other rap performers, her upbeat, positive songs has gotten good reviews from critics.

Salt n Pepa – They got as much press for their safe sex preaching as for their catchy, danceable songs. These female gangster rap performers have proved to be incredibly versatile, as seen in their duet “What a Man” with R&B group En Vogue.

Some of these female rap artists has collaborated with a number of talented performers, including Talib Kweli, Mos Def and The Roots. Jean Grae, another great rap artist lyrics on albums like “Attack of the Attacking Things” are lauded for their rapid, complex rhythms and eloquent phrasing.

MC Lyte – She was the first woman rap artist to release a full-length album, the much-praised “Lyte as a Rock.” Early albums attribute some pretty raw language that you might not want to play for your grandma, but later releases are a bit more restrained.

Hip hop and rap music was first discovered during the seventies at the Bronx in New York City. Since then a lot of teenagers have been inspiring to be a well-known rap or hip hop artist. In order to become one of the famous hip hop artists one must sing well, have the right attitude, and most importantly know how to dance. Being one of the greatest rap artists is not an easy job. It surely takes a lot of hard work, encouragement, and determination.